Enhanced application performance in multi-tier storage environments

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, according to one embodiment, includes: maintaining a heat map monitoring table on a per volume basis for a plurality of volumes which includes a heat count for each data block in the respective volume. The data blocks in a first volume which are depended on by one or more other volumes of the plurality of volumes are identified, the first volume being specified in a deletion request. Moreover, the identified data blocks and the corresponding heat counts are copied to the respective one or more other volumes.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 maintaining a heat map monitoring table on a per volume basis for a plurality of volumes in a multi-tier data storage architecture, wherein the heat map monitoring table includes a heat count for each data block in the respective volume; 
 identifying which data blocks in a first volume are depended on by one or more other volumes of the plurality of volumes, wherein the first volume is specified in a deletion request; and 
 copying the identified data blocks and the corresponding heat counts to the respective one or more other volumes. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes an I/O monitoring daemon. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein maintaining the heat map monitoring table on a per volume basis includes:
 incrementing a heat count corresponding to a data block in a given volume in response to the data block being accessed from the given volume. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a higher performance tier and a relatively lower performance tier. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a solid state drive. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a hard disk drive. 
     
     
       7. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving a list of data blocks included in a volume and identified as being depended on by one or more other volumes, 
 wherein the list includes a heat count corresponding to each of the identified data blocks in the list; and 
 using heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in a multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein using the heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in the multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks is performed using an I/O monitoring daemon. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein using the heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in the multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks includes:
 determining whether the heat count of each of the respective identified data blocks is in a range; 
 determining whether an identified data block is stored on a higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the heat count corresponding to the identified data block is not in the range; and 
 moving the identified data block from the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture to a relatively lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the identified data block is stored on the higher performance tier. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , comprising:
 leaving the identified data block on a current performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the heat count corresponding to the identified data block is in the range. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a solid state drive. 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a hard disk drive. 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a higher performance tier and a relatively lower performance tier, wherein the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a solid state drive, wherein the lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a hard disk drive. 
     
     
       14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions readable and/or executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 receive, by the processor, a list of data blocks included in a volume and identified as being depended on by one or more other volumes, 
 wherein the list includes a heat count corresponding to each of the identified data blocks in the list; and 
 use, by the processor, heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in a multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks. 
 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein using the heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in the multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks is performed using an I/O monitoring daemon. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein using the heat counts corresponding to the identified data blocks to determine a tier in the multi-tier data storage architecture on which to store each of the identified data blocks includes:
 determining, by the processor, whether the heat count of each of the respective identified data blocks is in a range; 
 determining, by the processor, whether an identified data block is stored on a higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the heat count corresponding to the identified data block is not in the range; and 
 moving, by the processor, the identified data block from the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture to a lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the identified data block is stored on the higher performance tier. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 16 , the program instructions readable and/or executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 leave, by the processor, the identified data block on a current performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture in response to determining that the heat count corresponding to the identified data block is in the range. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a solid state drive. 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a hard disk drive. 
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a higher performance tier and a lower performance tier, wherein the higher performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a solid state drive, wherein the lower performance tier of the multi-tier data storage architecture includes a hard disk drive.